Pubdate: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 Source: Examiner, The (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ Section: Opinion Author: not given ADDICTION TREND CAN'T BE IGNORED PLANS to expand an addiction treatment centre in County Galway focus the spotlight on this country’s growing incidence of alcoholism, and other forms of drug addiction - including gambling. Due to the excellent work of Sister Consilio, a pioneer of addiction treatment, there are now four centres catering for the problem. In a worrying trend, demand for such services is growing. Out of some 1.9 million drinkers she estimates that 95,000 will develop an alcohol problem. It is even more frightening that the biggest growth in abuse is among young people and that more women are becoming alcoholics. Tragically, for each person suffering from addiction, the lives of at least four other people are affected. Society cannot afford to ignore this crisis. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea